The less we say about that game the better. Arsenal put on their worst performance under Arteta. The team was fatigued, the energy was pedestrian, and we were god awful in the final third.
To make matters worse, we conceded a goal early in the second half from a set-piece. Just standard Arsenal, a total mess.
We absolutely controlled possession, but somehow, Olympiacos still looked like they were dictating the terms of the game. In the final third, we were a real mess. Bad decisions, heavy touches, and a real lack of a final ball. I didn’t ever feel like we knew how to win that game.
When the game rolled into extra time, you started to fear the deep block was going to win out. However, Arteta had a trump card, and it was Gabriel for the second 15 of extra time. He made the difference immediately. Olympiacos struggled with fitness and the live wire Brazilian made it difficult with his drive and energy.
The sub paid off. Mesut Ozil found Gabriel with a good cross from the right, his flicked header in the box sat up for Auba who scissor-kicked home. What an outrageous goal. We thought we had a winner.
We did not.
Leno gave away a stupid corner. We cleared at the front post, they picked up the ball, slipped a teasing high ball into the box, Luiz let it go to the back post, Sokratis was beaten to the ball and Leno was late off his line. They equalized.
It wasn’t over for chances though, 2 minutes into the added-on time and Auba was found in the box from 6 yards and somehow he fired wide. Absolutely horrendous.
Arsenal drop from the Europa League. Embarrassing, upsetting, but absolutely deserved. We didn’t show up, we lacked quality in all areas of the pitch, and we didn’t know how to make possession count. These days are hard to stomach, but they were always going to happen as we build to a brighter future. The key thing is that we learn from our mistakes.
Now it’s all about the league. Let’s hope the team has it in them to brush this off and pursue the Champions League the proper way, but winning the 5th place trophy.
I recorded a bonus podcast with Matt last night, we don’t talk about Europa and we do a nice section on Ian Wright.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/arsenal-record-271m-losses-2019-21598747
27.1M loss; Summer might be a big sale of assets.
Jim I think so purely because now that Wenger is gone gone is the days of sitting still and being afraid to get involved in the transfer market. And let’s be honest here the only way we’re going to catch up/keep up/get ahead of our rivals is with better players and a better squad. Something Arsene was never interested in. But anyway maybe I’m wrong Arteta is already showing Wenger like signs in some of the things he’s doing thus far maybe it’s possible he’s not interested in the transfer market as well.
@Left – “I’m seriously thinking about giving up on Le-Grove and maybe even watching Arsenal. I just end up feeling angry and frustrated and, to be honest, I could be doing better things with my life than reading the comments of people I don’t care about and, in turn, don’t care for my opinion.” You know what, this is 100% bang on really. I think we all waste far too much time on here and could be doing something a lot more productive with that time. Will probably never stop watching Arsenal, but things like this blog are something I… Read more »
Raptora
You’d maybe have a leg to stand on regarding Xhaka and Mustafi if both had been shit since Xmas. But unfortunately for you they’ve been anything but that.
Have to say your commentary over the last 24 hours has been near laughable. The level of hysteria is something else entirely. You’re on the list of posters that have humble pie on their horizon, do me a favour and remember that for when you 100% get goaded for it 😉
Surely the ozil agent is taking the piss?The way he speaks it’s like he is mocking us ffs
@Marko –
I guess time will tell, totally cliched I know. But none of us on here really know how things will pan out! I still have some small hope!
But am not surprised….I have said multiple times here I won’t be surprised if I see ozil and xhaka here next season
Not only has the culture at Arsenal changed over the course of Kroenke’s full takeover, the league has evolved / advanced with it and Arsenal have been clearly left behind. Whilst supposedly instilling a cutting edge modern setup post Wenger we saw two of those key figures leave with Raul ascending in the void, taking on more power. For me the verdict is very much out on his leadership abilities, coupled with owners who aren’t nearly as cutting edge as the competition. Doesn’t paint a sexy picture for the future. My hope is that Arteta finds his legs for remainder… Read more »
Marko,
But can you honestly say with a straight face that he’s pumping up the value of Mustafi, Xhaka, Ozil after he’s banked our season on them, laying his trust on them, talking all these superlatives about them? It really feels like he prefers them to the rest of our players. Would he want them sold then?
I see your point though and absolutely agree with it.
I said it last season as well. If we start next season with all of these 3 in our squad it will be another failed season.
I really don’t understand the logic behind blaming the players and letting the coach go free on a day like yesterday. There’s more to being a coach than just the trainings and tactics and just on the field activities. There’s the mental side that needs to be addressed to get the players baptized and be up for the game at hand. You can do all these and players won’t just come to the party during matches, there you think of influencing the game via your subs. How has arteta been influencing games via his selection and subs? His early days… Read more »
But can you honestly say with a straight face that he’s pumping up the value of Mustafi, Xhaka, Ozil after he’s banked our season on them Well apparently their value has gone up cause they’re playing well since Christmas. I personally think he’s risking the season especially when certain players are playing poorly and continuing to get picked. Look I get what he was doing initially free slate for all but now you have the likes of Ozil doing fuck all and staying on the pitch. But anyway apparently it’ll be easy to get rid of some of these players… Read more »
Cheers Jim,
I have just read my post back and I sound suicidal! I am definitely going to phase out Le-Grove. It was good but a lot of the more thoughtful posters like Romford Pele and Cesc Appeal don’t post so much and I find Pedros posts more and more
condescending. Will I go out quietly or a full on ban worthy rant? In the end nobody will care.
Azed “How’s the just play Ozil in the hole behind PEA, Lacazette and Pepe working out?” Is he playing in the hole? ..I don’t think so. From where I’m looking there is no one in the hole . Ozil’s not in there, Lacazette doesn’t drop in there , it is a vacant area . It looks like Arteta likes to overload the wide areas , hence ozil, pepe and Bellerin all seem to be in touching distance . I cant say I’m a fan of this as our play just swings from left to right and we very rarely, if… Read more »
” I find Pedros posts more and more condescending. ” Thought i was the only one getting that vibe. I stopped posting on here regularly a while back and my interaction with a certain character today reminded me why, i was happier then, some seem to get joy hurling personal insults at strangers who happen to have different views on a football blog. Pedro then comes on and picks his favorites and basically call the rest with a different view point dense Cesc appeal stopped coming on here because i know he lost patience with that attitude. Imagine predicting ditching… Read more »
Jim Leahy, I agree, there is a deep rooted malaise at the club that no one knows how to shake off. Something that took hold around the time we moved stadiums. Did we leave something in the cupboard at Highbury? Or is it the Arsenal reality that every now and again gets shaken up by an innovator and then retracts to its natural moribund state. I know that sounds silly when you think of the bold forward thinking necessary to build and move into a new stadium but it just doesn’t seem to have taken off from there. Where are… Read more »
Just wanted to echo the thoughts of those who are gutted about last night, it is hard to take what happened.
As much as it sucks donkey dick the players have to pick themselves up and not lose the confidence they have built up over the last few weeks. The time for judgement for some of this squad will be in the summer.
Until then there is the FA Cup and finishing the league as strong as possible. Do that and see where we end up.
Receding: “I stopped posting on here regularly a while back and my interaction with a certain character today reminded me why, i was happier then, some seem to get joy hurling personal insults at strangers who happen to have different views on a football blog. “ Also Receding: “That’s me done with you for today, you are boring and too far up your own ass. You were Wenger’s number one defender up to the very end so excuse me if I don’t take your persistent emery jibes seriously. He had a two year deal and a mandate he missed by… Read more »
https://mobile.twitter.com/timpayton/status/1233417918114910211
Usmanov buyout might have been loaded onto Arsenal’s account by Kroenke.
It was said from the first game Arteta managed, he has to do better in his in game management, that point still stands
You could question his assistants as well, do they have any impact or are they just the yes men type or even worse the Steve Bould type !
See Pedro is also an Arsenal fan with his own biases like everyone on here. No need to be touchy about he taking sides.
RH back when we lose, what a surprise CC!
New post, see you on the other side.
“Usmanov buyout might have been loaded onto Arsenal’s account by Kroenke.”
If this is true, we are in deeper financial shit than expected and the Kroenke apologists on here should hide their heads in shame.
game was bad enough, but had to mute the commentary, Karen Carney was bloody awful, ended everything with a question… didn’t he … shouldn’t he … mustn’t he drove me and my son bonkers. If the girl is not confident enough in what she says, then she should find alternative employment.. shouldn’t she?
Yeah and I know my grammar is shite.
Mustafi and xhaka have played better recently but we should be very wary about giving ozil any credit for anything other than running a bit farther Ozil has this magic ability to reset people’s memories every time he plays well so that all his past 5 performances are forgotten. Literally he started ok under arteta, was great against utd then was absolute peak vanishing act and average for the next 5 odd games. He was great in our last league outing ‘look what artetas doing with ozil!!!’ Back to usual ozil again ever since People always think it’s finally going… Read more »
The state of some arsenal supporters actually revelling in a defeat. It’s embarrassing.
Champagne, Imagine Barcelona or Real Madrid bid 20 millions and Aubameyang is not interested in getting anywhere else but he is willing to wait an extra year to get his dream move. Would you still think that it would be a wise move to sell him? That scenario is very likely that both will try to lowball us. At that price he is worth more for us one extra year trying to get into the Champion’s League. That also give an extra year for any youngsters to emerge from the academy. Unless we can get a ready made replacement, I… Read more »
The ffightenening thing is Xhaka has started in every game for Arteta and I think he’s played the full 90 minutes in each game too.
Champagne charlie
“You’d maybe have a leg to stand on regarding Xhaka and Mustafi if both had been shit since Xmas. But unfortunately for you they’ve been anything but that.”
21st January Mustafi gives a suicidal back pass to the keeper resulting in a penalty and sending off….lol lol lol lol lol lol
The Baying Yob
I want MY Arsenal back, not yours or that plonker Kroenke’s.
John Stone, he is Mustafi #2.